New Zealand: We are aware of intelligence activity related to China in the country

New Zealand's security intelligence agency revealed today, Friday, that it is "aware of intelligence activity related to China in the country targeting it and the Pacific region in general." In response, the Chinese embassy in Wellington expressed its displeasure and rejected the content related to China in the report, stating that "the Chinese government conducts normal communication activities with Chinese citizens abroad in accordance with international law." The embassy added in a statement: "Beijing hopes that relevant countries can provide an open and inclusive environment for all, without discrimination against expatriate Chinese or citizens of Chinese descent." The accusations against China are the latest in a series of recent statements from the New Zealand government over concerns about Beijing's expansionist actions and their destabilizing impact. The report titled "New Zealand's Security Threat Environment 2023" is the first published under the government's shift to better inform citizens about the risks facing the country, coming two months ahead of the general elections that focus on foreign policy in their campaign. The report also highlighted "foreign interference" activities from Iran and Russia. It mentioned that "overall, the international security environment surrounding New Zealand has become more difficult and less predictable than it was in recent decades." The Iranian embassy in Wellington has not yet responded to a request for comment, while the Russian embassy criticized what it called "New Zealand's interference in Russian internal affairs by publicly commenting on the imprisonment of prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny."